The Region

More groups seek Prop. 8 overturn

November 12, 2008|Maura Dolan and Gale Holland | Dolan and Holland are Times staff writers.

SAN FRANCISCO AND LOS ANGELES — Anti-discrimination groups and bar associations have joined 44 state legislators in calling on the California Supreme Court to overturn the anti-gay marriage initiative voters passed last week.

In letters to the court, the Anti-Defamation League and other groups sided with lawsuits that said Proposition 8, which reinstated a ban on same-sex marriage, amounted to a sweeping revision of the state Constitution instead of a more limited amendment.

Constitutional revisions can be placed on the ballot only by a two-thirds vote of the Legislature. Proposition 8 reached the ballot as a constitutional amendment after a signature campaign.

"Proposition 8 threatens the permanent and abiding nature of the requirement that laws must apply equally to all -- the most basic principle of democratic government," said the letter from the Anti-Defamation League, Asian Law Caucus, Bet Tzedek Legal Services, Japanese American Citizens League and Public Counsel.

A letter from the Bar Assn. of San Francisco and other groups also urged the court to strike down the measure.

Also Wednesday, supporters of Proposition 8 said some financial contributors had heard from people saying they would boycott contributors' businesses. It was unclear how widespread the threats were, but an latimes.com database listing contributors to both sides of Proposition 8 saw a jump in traffic Wednesday.

El Coyote, the well-known Mexican restaurant on Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles, received calls threatening a boycott after it was reported that someone associated with the eatery contributed $100 to Yes on 8.

The California Supreme Court has yet to take action on the lawsuits, which were filed the day after the election.

Proposition 8, eliminating the right of same-sex couples to marry in California, was approved by 52% of the state's voters, but the measure just squeaked by in Los Angeles County, where only 16,312 votes separated the two sides as of the latest count Tuesday afternoon. A final tally of uncounted votes, which include mail-in and provisional ballots, is not due to the secretary of state until Dec. 2. What follows are the cities that voted most strongly for and against the initiative.

Top 10 cities in Los Angeles County for Proposition 8*

City: Percent yes

Artesia : 67.76

Hawaiian Gardens: 67.54

La Mirada: 65.99

Cerritos: 65.96

La Habra Heights: 65.82

Bellflower: 65.76

Paramount: 65.74

Palmdale: 65.66

Carson: 65.36

Compton: 65.01

*Two towns with tiny populations -- city of Industry, with a total vote count of 23, and Vernon, which cast 16 ballots -- supported Proposition 8 by more than 80%.

Top 10 cities in Los Angeles County against Proposition 8

City: Percent no

West Hollywood: 86.25

Santa Monica: 77.64

Hermosa Beach: 70.36

Malibu: 69.43

Hidden Hills: 67.58

Culver City: 67.1

Beverly Hills: 65.8

South Pasadena: 65.34

Manhattan Beach: 65.33

Calabasas: 65.11

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Voting breakdown

(Orange County Edition)

Proposition 8, eliminating the right of same-sex couples to marry in California, was approved by 52% of voters statewide. In Orange County, voters passed the measure by a comfortable margin, 57.5% to 42.5%, a spread of 136,157 ballots. A final tally of uncounted votes, which include absentee and provisional ballots, is not due to the secretary of state until Dec. 2. What follows are the cities that provided the strongest support for and against the initiative.